Dawn of the Dead (also known internationally as Zombi) is a 1978 American independent zombie horror film directed by George A. Romero. It was written by Romero in collaboration with the Italian filmmaker Dario Argento, and produced by Claudio Argento, Richard P. Rubinstein and Alfredo Cuomo. It was the second film made in Romero’s Living Dead series, but contains no characters or settings from Night of the Living Dead, and shows in a larger scale the apocalyptic effects on society. In the film, a phenomenon of unidentified origin has caused the reanimation of the dead, who prey on human flesh, which subsequently causes mass hysteria. The cast features David Emge, Ken Foree, Scott Reiniger, and Gaylen Ross as survivors of the outbreak who barricade themselves inside a suburban shopping mall.

Dawn of the Dead was filmed over approximately four months, from late 1977 to early 1978, in the Pennsylvania cities of Pittsburgh and Monroeville.[2] Its primary filming location was the Monroeville Mall. The film was made on a budget estimated at $1.5 million and was a significant box office success for its time, grossing approximately $55 million worldwide.[1] Since opening in theaters in 1978, and despite heavy gore content, reviews for the film have been positive.[3]

In addition to four official sequels, the film has spawned numerous parodies and pop culture references. A remake of the movie premiered in the United States on March 19, 2004. It was labeled a “re-imagining” of the original film’s concept.[4] In 2008, Dawn of the Dead was chosen by Empire magazine as one of The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time,[5] along with Night of the Living Dead.[6]